Blog | Product News

Safer Shower Solutions for Elderly People [Quick Tips]

Are you considering remodeling your shower for safety reasons? Sometimes a remodel comes because you need to for a safer shower solution, and other times the remodel is because you are just wanting a better look for your shower. Unfortunately, as you get older you may find yourself searching for a safer shower solution for yourself or possibly one of your loved ones. Sadly, as you age you become more prone to injuries and it becomes more and more difficult to get around your house. Especially in the shower and bathroom.

The bathroom is one of the places in your home that will require a certain amount of movement whether it is a big step into the shower or bathtub, or even squatting to sit down on the toilet and of course standing back up again. There is no avoiding the movement. This may be how you found yourself here searching for a safer shower solution in Phoenix. Installing a walk in tub, or removing a tub, and changing to a step in shower is not necessarily a difficult modification. In most cases, the remodel can be finished within a day.

Walk in tubs in Phoenix that we sell are going to be fitted with safety handles, a sealed door system, and safety bars which will significantly lower the risk of falling or slipping while you are entering or exiting the tub. Walk in tubs dramatically reduce the risk for injury in your home, and provide a safer shower solution for your bathroom.

The installation of the walk in bathtubs that we sell in Phoenix can be done by yourself or a contractor. There are many different types of walk-in tubs for elderly people that are available, and the process of installing the walk-in bathtub will depend on which model you choose, the size, and dimensions all may affect how long the install will take and what kind of modifications need to take place. With most home improvement projects we suggest that you hire a professional to take care of the installation process to ensure proper installation or call us for a free consultation. We will provide you with the options that you need, or point you in the right direction.

Making Bathrooms Safe For Elderly Persons

Installing just grab bars doesn’t always workStudies show that more than one in three people over the age of 65 in the United States take some sort of fall inflicting some sort of injury every year. If falls are bound to happen, then why wouldn’t you take the proper safety precautions to avoid falling before it happens?

Falling in the bathroom is a totally different matter, and it can be deathly.According to past studies, more than 200,000 Americans are being treated annually in emergency departments from bathroom-related injuries.

Due to several reasons, your bathroom can be the most hazardous room in your entire home, especially as an elderly person. Bathrooms have many unforgiving slippery surfaces throughout them, and very few bars to grab onto. Not having grab bars for a handicapped or elderly person in your bathroom can result in injury. Falling injuries can range from minor scrapes and bruises, bone injuries, head concussions, and even death in some instances that can occur by someone falling at home alone and no one being around to call to for help.

Are you or one of your loved ones at risk to a fall? This may be why you are seeking a safer shower solution for elderly people. Thankfully, you are in the right place in Phoenix.

Up to about 80 percent of the falls that occur at home are in the bathroom. The fact is that anyone can slip and fall in the bathroom at any age, at any time. However, the bigger problem is when you or a loved one has poor muscle strength and/or balance. This can majorly increase the risk, especially for elderly people. If you know that you or a loved one has a history of falls, their risk is even greater.

Most of the falls that occur when:

• Getting in or out of the shower or bathtub.

• Sitting down and getting up from the toilet.

• Walking to or from the towel bars before or after the shower.

• There are also other items in the bathroom that may increase the risk of falling, they include:

• Grabbing onto items in the bathroom for support that is not meant to be supporting you like a towel rack. An insufficiently mounted towel rack may result in a fall.

• Non-slip resistant shower curtains.

• Slippery bathtubs that are hard to exit for elderly people.

• Shower doors that move. They may be grabbed onto for support by an elderly person and cause the doors to move unexpectedly and cause a fall.

Making A Dangerous Bathroom Safe For Elderly People

Our goal is to limit the number of falls that happen in the bathroom annually with elderly people. Installing safety features in the bathroom or installing a walk-in bathtub that we offer at BathPlanet in Phoenix are some keys that can reduce the risk of falling in your or your loved one's bathrooms.

You should consider the below questions when you are renovating or modifying a bathroom of an elderly person.

Do they/you have poor balance when entering or exiting the bathtub or shower?

If so, you should install grab bars for the elderly person. Many elders are using their towel bars or shower/tub features that are not designed for supporting to enter/exit their bathtub or shower. Grab bars should be installed throughout the entire bathroom for easier access into and out of the shower and tub areas. You should also be considering installing grab bars near the toilet as well as the shower areas.

The grab bars are best for elderly people with lasting upper-body strength who are able to hold onto their weight while sitting or standing. Every grab bar that is installed should be coated with a slip-resistant material. Not high gloss. If you are not getting the grab bars installed professionally please refer to this video below.

Where is the best place to install grab bars?

Look for the area where the elderly person is holding onto while they enter or exit the shower or tub area. The trick is not to change their/your behavior but to make their/your existing behavior safer for them/you.

Do I need a tension pole?

A tension pole has the same purpose as a grab bar. A reason you could need one is if you are not upgrading your tub and you can not mount a bar on it. A tension pole alternative to a grab bar that will help while getting in and out of the shower or tub area. We believe that the grab bars work best, however, if you’re looking for another alternative you should consider installing a tension pole from floor to ceiling that will give the elderly person something to hold onto for support with their balance.

Do you or your loved ones have poor balance while showering?

This is when you should consider a BathPlanet Phoenix walk-in tub. Right now we are offering a $1000 off limited time deal. Call us for a free consultation. We offer extremely affordable safer shower solutions for elderly people. If it is not the right time for you to invest in a safer shower solution with a walk in tub, you should consider purchasing a shower chair. A shower chair can provide a safer shower solution for the elderly people that struggle with balance while showering. This also serves as a great rest place for those who are having difficulty standing or walking for extended periods of time. Look for a shower chair that has rubber tips preventing slipping of the legs. When you use a shower chair with a hand-held shower head, an elderly person can remain seated the entire time while bathing.

Poor balance and/or entering or exiting the bathtub?

You should install a tub-attached grab bar. If an elderly person using a tub to bathe, they will have to step over the tubs high sides in order to enter or exit the tub. A securely placed grab bar that is mounted on the tub's rim can ease the process of entering or exiting the tub. You should consult a licensed professional before making any modifications to your bathroom or call us for your free consultation. We’re happy to help.

Do I need a bath transfer bench?

A bath bench will eliminate the problem of stepping in and out of the bathtub. The elderly person will lift their legs over the side of the tub instead. The elderly person will get in the tub safely because this will allow them to sit down on the bench outside of the tub then slide safely over. A transfer bench is often used with a hand-held shower device that will allow the elderly person to remain seated the entire duration of the bath.

Are there slippery surfaces in the bathroom?

Of course, there are. Install some non-slip mats. Falls can often occur as you already know when elders are entering and exiting the bathtub or shower. SImply installing non-slip mats in the tub or shower on the floor, as well as installing one on the exterior of the shower can reduce the risk of a slip while entering or exiting the shower or tub. This will help the elderly person feel more stable and will reduce the risk of slipping. Stepping onto a towel can be dangerous and can easily slide away from your feet thus causing a fall.

You will want to use a rubber non-slip mat or adhesive strips that can be applied to the floor of the shower or tub to prevent slipping in the tub or shower.

Sometimes the elderly person can have poor depth perception and will not be able to see how big of step they’re taking into the bathtub. A mat or strip can be a type of visual aid for them to know how far to step into the bathtub.

Difficulty reaching or bending down in shower?

You should always provide a safer shower solution for elderly people by keeping their toiletries within reach without needing to bend or reach for them. You should mount an easy to reach liquid soap dispenser on the shower wall to prevent reaching of any sort. Often times reaching for something is what can cause a slip in the shower.Please keep reading below where we provide you with some safe shower solutions for elderly people.

Caregiver Assistance: The elderly people who are experiencing dizziness when they stand up too quickly should benefit from someone being nearby while they are bathing.

Regular Cleaning: If you have an elderly person using your bathtub or shower you should be performing regular cleaning of the bathtub or flooring in the shower. There is buildup that will become slippery after lengths of time not being cleaned. In addition to cleaning the bathtub and shower. You should overall be providing a safer shower solution for the elderly person using your bathroom by keeping as much clutter as possible out of the bathroom. Clutter equals tripping hazard.

Telephone/Life Alert Device: If you have an elderly person using your bathroom or plan to remodel your own bathroom, you should install some sort of device in the bathroom that allows them to call for help. Having a phone nearby will ensure the elder gets the help they need as soon as possible. A life alert device will ensure services get to them quickly in the event of an emergency.

Consider your bathroom doors: Does your door swing inwards or outwards? DId you consider what if the elder fell up against the inside of an inward swinging door? You should ensure that the door opens up outwards in the event of a fall.

Lighting: You should ensure that the pathway to the bathroom is well lit. A hallway with insufficient lighting can cause a fall. Use nightlights that will provide a well lit path during the nighttime. You should install night lighting in the bathroom as well.

In conclusion, the fact of the matter here is that falling is a scary reality for elderly people. We hope that this guide you read through provided you with the value you were looking for. Our goal is to provide safer shower solutions for elderly people. Whether you buy a bathtub from us or not, please take the time to give us a call and get you a free consultation. At the very least, you will be leaving the consultation with ideas of how you can help create a safer bathroom environment for either yourself or an elderly person.